Lot Essay
The inscription reads: This belonged to Gen. John Morin Scott (who died in 1783) and who was Grandfather of John M. Scott Mayor of Philadelphia
John Morin Scott was admitted to the New York bar in 1752, and by the mid 1760s, his practice was one of the largest and most successful in the American colonies. During the Revolution, Scott was considered an extremeist and led the radical party in New York. He later became a member of the Continental Congress, from 1779 to 1783. (Dictionary of American Biography, vol. VIII, New York, 1935, pp. 495-496).
Scott lived in grand style on a rural estate, now West 43rd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. In 1774, John Adams met Scott, describing him as "a sensible man, but not very polite," observing that he had "a character very like that of old Mr. Auchmuty. Sit up all night at his bottle, and yet argue to admiration next day!" On August 22nd of the same year, Adams visited Scott's house which he described in the following entry in his journal: "Mr. Scott has an elegant seat there, with Hudson's river just behind his house, and a rural prospect all around him . . . A more elegant breakfast I never saw--rich plate, a very large silver coffee-pot, a very large silver tea pot, napkins of the finest materials, toast, and bread and butter in great perfection" (Chance and Smith, op. cit., p. 326).
John Morin Scott was admitted to the New York bar in 1752, and by the mid 1760s, his practice was one of the largest and most successful in the American colonies. During the Revolution, Scott was considered an extremeist and led the radical party in New York. He later became a member of the Continental Congress, from 1779 to 1783. (Dictionary of American Biography, vol. VIII, New York, 1935, pp. 495-496).
Scott lived in grand style on a rural estate, now West 43rd Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. In 1774, John Adams met Scott, describing him as "a sensible man, but not very polite," observing that he had "a character very like that of old Mr. Auchmuty. Sit up all night at his bottle, and yet argue to admiration next day!" On August 22nd of the same year, Adams visited Scott's house which he described in the following entry in his journal: "Mr. Scott has an elegant seat there, with Hudson's river just behind his house, and a rural prospect all around him . . . A more elegant breakfast I never saw--rich plate, a very large silver coffee-pot, a very large silver tea pot, napkins of the finest materials, toast, and bread and butter in great perfection" (Chance and Smith, op. cit., p. 326).